‘Thankful’ Tua Tagovailoa asserts HC Mike McDaniel played a ‘crucial’ part in convincing Stephen Ross to give the QB a historic $212 million extension

Mike McDaniel is known to be a players coach and he showed that by convincing the Dolphins owner to pay quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

‘Thankful’ Tua Tagovailoa asserts HC Mike McDaniel played a ‘crucial’ part in convincing Stephen Ross to give the QB a historic $212 million extension

Tua Tagovailoa revealed HC Mike McDaniel played a 'crucial' part in convincing Stephen Ross to give the QB a historic $212 million extension (Image via IMAGO)

On Friday (July 26), Tua Tagovailoa became the highest-paid player in the Miami Dolphins’ history. And it was all thanks to head coach Mike McDaniel.

Later, the quarterback showed up at the Dolphins training camp and, after grabbing a microphone, started hyping up the crowd, chanting, ‘Show me the money.’ Anyone would be happy if they received $53 million annually for the next four years, a $47 million signing bonus, and a guaranteed $147.171 million with a potential $9 million more in incentives.

During the post-practice media meet, Tagovailoa, wearing Dolphins shorts and a white t-shirt, answered several questions—from how he felt about the massive extension to the big role head coach Mike McDaniel played in convincing owner Stephen Ross to make him the Dolphins franchise quarterback.

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The Pro Bowler revealed hearing from ‘several birdies’ about McDaniel speaking with Ross directly when he and the Dolphins players practiced last week.

I have been told by several birdies, here in the facility, you know he went to bat for me, our owner—I won’t go into details of things what I heard wore said, but just know that he is what he says; he says what he told me, and he did what I was thinking—what he would do for me and not just for me for any other player, so, I am very grateful for that.
Tua Tagovailoa said

McDaniel, on the other hand, expected the deal to go through because of Tagovailoa’s numbers in 2023. He threw the most passing yards as the Dolphins racked up the most points in the regular season.

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Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa

Tua Tagovailoa revealed how he would like to spend his new money

The 26-year-old grew up in a humble Hawaiian household, where his father was the primary bread earner and his mother took care of the household filled with several siblings. Tagovailoa’s family did not have enough possessions to live a comfortable life, but now he has the green, which he can spend on various things.

'Thankful' Tua Tagovailoa asserts HC Mike McDaniel played a 'crucial' part in convincing Stephen Ross to give the QB a historic $212 million extension
Tua Tagovailoa (Image via IMAGO)

However, he doesn’t plan to waste them on any expensive gifts or belongings.

It’s life-changing. Words couldn’t describe to me how that feels. It’s unbelievable, but still, I’m not going to say, ‘Hey, I got this money. Now let’s go and buy a private jet and fly to Vegas and use up the money'.
Tua Tagovailoa said, per Sports Illustrated

McDaniel quickly interjected, “Don’t do it.”

Now that the contract situation is finally out of the way, McDaniel would want only the best from his QB 1. Despite a blistering regular-season performance in 2023, the Dolphins faltered in the divisional round against the eventual winner, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game for 23 years—the current longest streak in the NFL.

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